I want to ignore the whole Alicorn drama, but it is so widespread that I have had to disable my watches just to avoid it. Both sides are irritating me. On the one hand, I do believe that people do have very good reason to hate the change. It is not what Faust had intended (she has stated that if it were up to her, there would be only 2 alicorns), it's a stupid idea that you would expect from fanfiction but not from the actual show, and it is clear that the main motivation for it is just to sell more toys. But the problem with all of these arguments is that, at this point, it is pretty damn late to make them. The show has been deviating from Faust's original vision for almost two seasons now, the show has already drawn from terrible fanfiction (ie Derpy), and selling toys has been the main priority for a while now (eg the Friendship Express being prominently featured in "The Last Roundup", the introduction of RD pet turtle, Cadence, Cadence, CADENCE). If you haven't had any issues with the show up to this point, then why now? The show has been building up to this dumb fanfiction plot point ever since Cadence was made an alicorn.

That being said, I still believe that these people have the right to express their opinion (even if that opinion takes the shape of alicorn twilight crying because she is apparently not herself, as if her outward appearance is all that matters). And all these people who are pissed off at people for hating the change, well, I don't think it is for them to decide how other people should feel. No one HAS to like anything in the show, and everyone is free to hate anything for whatever reason. I think that people are going WAY overboard in Alicorn thing but that doesn't mean that their position is automatically invalid, and it irritates me when people say it does. I always have a big problem with people who say that the problem with someones argument is not the argument itself, but the fact that they are making one at all. I've seen a lot of stupid things come from the anti alicorn people but I have also seen equally stupid things said by the pro/indifferent.

So here I am, hating both sides of an argument I don't care about and finding no way to avoid it while still enjoying the fanwork. I think I'll just have to keep my distance from pony sites until this whole thing blows over.

I think for a lot of people, Twilight becoming an alicorn was actually seen as a logical outcome. At least, it was for me. Since the beginning it's been obvious that she's not an ordinary unicorn (from her cutie mark being "magic" itself to turning her parents into potted plants as a foal to being Celestia's personal student). It all definitely denoted a higher calling, and the myriad fanfictions showing Twilight becoming an alicorn attest to the fact that it's not an inconceivable development, and not really going against any established canon in the show, itself (and if you think it being a "fanfiction plot" is inherently a bad thing, let's just remember that MLP:FiM is basically Lauren Faust's canonized G1 fanfiction). However, it is definitely more of an endgame move that I'm sure most people thought would never actually be shown in the series or would at least only occur as the series finale. Making Twilight a princess and an alicorn carries with it a lot of necessary changes in the show's dynamics that may or may not work. I think a lot of people are most frightened about that, because it's change and when you have something that works it's natural to say "no, don't fix it if it isn't broken." I'm a bit mixed in my opinion on this, as well. It's true that changing a tried and true formula (especially so fast... so far the formula has changed every season by at least a small amount) increases the risks of a show degrading in performance, and the way the show has been going I can't be confident that this won't be handled poorly, but not taking risks like this can result in stagnation which can be just as disastrous. Just look at the movie industry with its current recycling of every old movie they can get their hands on. I'd say we should all reserve our judgment until season 4 actually gets here to see if the coronation actually ruins MLP:FiM, and even if it does I think it in no way limits our ability to enjoy everything that's come out so far. Basically, just keep calm and pony on.

After thinking about that sentence there, I think I am more in favor of the change than against. I don't think that the formula has been applied with the same level of success after Lauren Faust's demotion and eventual departure as it had been in Season 1. Friendship reports were becoming increasingly more forced and, even though I loved them in Season 1, it has gotten to the point where I'm glad they are being included less and less (Apple Jack: "I didn't learn anything!" why bother writing at all then?). I think Faust was essential to the success of the original formula so, because she is not coming back, I think that distancing from it with radical changes to the status quo (no matter how stupid) is a good thing. For better or worse, the show will never be what it was when Faust oversaw the entire process, so the only solution is to not compete at all and, instead, do something different.

(as for the fanfiction comment, I don't think you could classify FiM as fanfiction because it is not an extension of MLP, nor was the main source of inspiration MLP. While the characters bare the same names and loosely resemble earlier iterations, the world, the formula, the character personalities, and almost everything except the brand is original. You could say that FiM was inspired by the band (specifically the toyline) but I don't think you can call it fanfiction. I know that's debatable but, to me, for something to qualify as fanfiction, it must be an extension of or draw heavily from a single source.)

I had my own personal rage moment on Tuesday. I'm better now. If the pro-alicorn people would have just allowed the anti crowd, like myself, to have there time to be mad, the mess would not have become as bad as it was.

I was completely taken by surprise, not by the alicorn thing, but by the princess thing. Others were too. Fans are going to get emotional when the foundation of the show is shaken.

Being on the angry side, I feel overcoming it has made me prepared for future changes. As such, I have a responsibility to allow others to vent and rage when they are dissatisfied (I expect this coming again with the season 4 premiere.)

To help you relate, Twilight being an alicorn/princess for me instills the same feelings 95% of the fandom felt when Derpy was changed. The difference is that 50% or more of fans have no problem with Twilight changing.

I can definitely relate. When others try to prevent people from speaking, people scream just to be heard and end up adopting a more extreme opinion than they would have otherwise. I done this myself when Season 2 began and it was clear to me that things were not the same.

I wasn't surprised, but I can see how others might be. If I still had the faith in the show that I used to, I would have never dreamed that something this ridiculous would happen even if all signs pointed to it.

I am curious, however, as to what specifically bothered you so much about the change to Twilight. I can think of many very good reasons to hate it, but all the problems I can see with it have existed for a long time now. What is it about this specific change?

Primarily, like Faust, I had considered Celestia and Luna were alicorns, because they were like gods or angels of Equestria. I often equated Celestia to Aslan when I first watched the show. I still don't like the fact Cadance was given wings, I would have preferred her to simply be a unicorn princess.

In light of Hearth's Warming Eve, my preferred canon was that like Aslan, Celestia left the pony world for a time, and then returned to defeat Discord. It paralleled it so well.

Yes, I am aware the princess from Hearts and Hooves day was an alicorn, so at that time I finally accepted that Celestia and Luna were less than divine, and were born alicorns. Still my view was that they must have been predestined, prophecied, and/or preordained to become rulers. I had various speculations for why they were not titled queen, but I thought I'd let the show answer that.

With the wedding, I had to accept there were two kinds of alicorns: the legendary type of Celestia and Luna, and a normal type, Cadance. That was pretty mind-shattering at the time. I recall through the first few months of 2012, I did wrestle with it in my mind, and hoped the answer would be that Cadance wasn't really an alicorn or something like that.

I had hopes that this season would have a backstory about Celestia and Luna with the knowledge of Discord returning. I thought it might be a prequel not a sequel. Instead, with no explanation, we suddenly discover a unicorn can become an alicorn. It screwed up everything for me. First, it means at least some alicorns are not born. Second, in a subtle manner it suggests to me that a unicorn cannot be her best without wings, which really angered me. Third, I see no reason to suggest Twilight is ready to ascend to be a unicorn. She hasn't come very far in her magical abilities since the first episode, and in "Magic Duel" she clearly admitted it. There's no logic for her to become a princess as I can see it. It's only been three years in the show, Celestia's been around for thousands, has no doubt seen many unicorns as powerful as Starswirl or more, and now suddenly this.

I think it enraged me, mostly because I had dismissed it. I assumed if it happened it would be temporary. With the first synopsis of the season finale, I felt it would be a mishap, and nothing more. Then when it was confirmed to be permanent I blew a fuse. Also, her becoming a princess was certainly never in my mind, so that was a complete shock.

Lastly, changing the character physically is probably was something else I have disliked about it. I love Twilight, her and Pinkie are my favorites.

I recently wrote Twilight a love letter in about an hour on Wednesday for a Hearts and Hooves Day event after the fiasco of Tuesday, these lines (only part of the entire thing) metaphor a description of my feelings. This is intended to be romantic, so it does not correlate perfectly, hopefully none of my group sees it:

As unicorn | a splendid mare | you were my one delightNow as a princess | your new change | has given me a frightI fear that you | have now ascended | where I can make no flightMy every hope | to show my love | no longer shines as bright

Such cruel, cruel fate | to have you ripped | away from me this dayI loved you more | than all the mares | have ever passed my wayWhy was I | Such the fool | never to speak and sayPlease be my special somepony | forever, now, today

Hmm, I'd never thought of it like that. When something makes no sense my thoughts usually turn straight to the people involved in the making of the show (the writers, the director, the animators, Hasbro). But, my god, trying to make sense of all the things that make no sense in the show sounds like a nightmare, and you have my sympathy for it.

Now that I think of it, the princesses have been getting less and less like gods of night and day and more and more, well, unimpressive. Heck, Celestia, ruler of all Equestria and bringer of all light, is utterly defeated after about one second of combat.

As for the suddenness and prematureness a change as drastic as this to (arguably)the main protagonist, I can think of two possibilities. First, Alicorns sell well, and Hasbro wants another toy. The second is that the show might (and this is a big 'might') be ending in the not too distant future.

I'm sure you have read that, because the show is so successful, Hasbro is less focused on making new episodes. They halved the season lengths because they believe that they only need to sprinkling a few new episodes into the reruns to keep people interested. It is possible that Hasbro's ultimate aim is to build up enough episodes so they can put the show on perpetual rerun and four seasons would certainly be enough for that, if that were the case.

I would say that the reason for Twilight's change is probably just to sell toys, but if the end WAS near it would make a lot of sense to get through major plot sooner rather than later. It probably is not a sign of the end though (but if it is, I CALLED IT).

Anyway, thanks for the detailed reply. I think I understand now. You weren't completely happy with the direction the series had taken after all. If I'm understanding you correctly, Alicorn Twilight was not the only reason you were upset but it was the straw that broke the camels back.